Rafa Marquez – one of the highest-paid and most well-known players in MLS – has played just nine league games this season, and is expected to miss the Red Bulls’ huge showdown at Sporting KC for first place in the Eastern Conference.

He’s been in Mexico with a Red Bulls trainer for the past week getting treatment on his left calf injury; and while Marquez is expected back in the New York area tonight, he isn’t slated to play Sunday’s tilt at Livestrong Park against first-place Sporting KC. He is expected back after the international break next month.

“After the break I’d say, absolutely. I’d be quite surprised if he’s not back in again when we start after the break,” said coach Hans Backe. “He will be back for that, I’m 100 percent sure of that.”

Marquez has been rehabbing his injured left calf with a hyperthermia treatment machine, a more advanced piece of machinery than a similar one the Red Bulls own. It provides compression deep into the actual muscle, and – theoretically – should allow Marquez to make an increasingly-rare return to the field.

Due to injuries and suspensions – not even including his red-card suspension for the playoff defeat in Los Angeles that ended last season – he has just nine MLS appearances this year, just four since May 19. But if all goes well – a huge if, where Marquez’ availability is concerned – he could return for the Sept. 15 home game against the Columbus Crew.